Safety device



AU@ 7 1945- L. A. LAD'NER 2,381,671 'SAFETY DEVICE A Filed Oct. .21, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet-l Aug.7,1945'. L. A. LADNER 2,381,671

SAFETY DEVICE Y Filed Ot. 2l, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 7, 1945 Lawrence A. Ladner, C

F. F. Slocomb Corporation,

amden, N. J., assignor to Wilmington, Del.,

a corporation of Delaware Application October 21, 1942,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing machines of the .type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,317,493, issued April 27, 1943.

A principal object of the present invention is to` provide, for machines of this character, an improved type of safety device which will preclude the possibility of injury to the hands of an operator.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide an improved safety device which will operate in emergency to reverse the direction of the ironing rolls.

The invention also resides in certain structural details and arrangements hereinafter described and illustrated in the attached drawings, where- I Figure l is a fragmentary front elevational view of `an ironing machine incorporating a safety device in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2 -2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is asection on the line 3-,-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the same line as Figure 2 illustrating a functional detail of the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a sectional perspective view illustrating details of certain of the structural elements of the device; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical control system. 4

With reference to the drawings, the machine comprises a heated ironing roll vl, which is journalled in the present instance in bearings 2 adjustably supported machine. In operation, the axis of the roll I is relatively fixed. The machine comprises also a pressure roll 4, which is journaled on arms 5, said armsY being secured at opposite sides of the machine respectively to a rock shaft 6. One only of these arms is shown in the drawings. Mechanism is provided in accordance with the invention disclosed in the aforesaid United States Patent No. 2,317,493 for rocking the shaft 6 so as to advance and retract the roll 4 with respect to the roll I. This roll-actuating mechanism forms no direct part of the present invention and is not disclosed in the drawings.

The rolls I and 4 are driven through a gear 1 which is journaled on one end of the shaft Ii and which meshes with a gear 8 on one trunnion of the roll 4; and since the roll 4 moves with the arms 5 on the arc of 4a circle concentric with the gear 1, such movement of the roll 4 does not disturb the normal operative relation between on the main frame 3 of the Serial No. 462,856

yfor a lever member the gears `I and 8. An idler gear 9 supported on the frame also meshes with the gear 1 and with a gear II on one trunnion of the roll I,vwhereby this roll also is driven from termined speed with respect to the roll 4.

The journal portions I2 at the outer ends of the arms 5 are provided with bushings I3 which form the bearings proper for the trunnions I4 of the roll 4, see Fig. 3, and these bushings are extended beyond the innerends of the said journal portions so asto provide thereon a bearing I5, there being one of these lever members at each end of the roll 4. Secured to and connecting the lever members I5 is a guard member I6 which embraces the outer side of the roll 4, as illustrated. The member I6 is provided at each end with `a flange I1, and these flanges bear, respectively, against the inner faces of the levers I5 and are secured against said faces in each instance by a bolt I8 and screws IS-ISL The bolt I8 passes through an aperture 2l in the lever member I5 and the screws |29 pass through slots 22--22 in said member, and are threaded into bosses 23--23 on the anges I1. The slots 22 are arcuate in form and are concentric with the bolt hole 2l, so that by loosening the screws I9 Vand the bolt I8, the guard member I6 as a whole may be adjusted around the bolts as a pivot, to thereby regulate the distance of the top edge 24 of the guard from the surface of the roll 4. As the roll 4 decreases in diameter, due to wear or shrinkage, the guard member I6 may be ad justed in this manner so as to maintain the said edge 24 in desirably close'proximity to the surface of the roll.

The guard member IG is provided at each end with a bracket 25, to which is secured an elongated rail 26, this rail being supported on the brackets in a position to leave a narrow space between the lower edge of the rail and a ilat surface 21 on the top of the guard member. Adjacent each end of the guard member, and secured to the outer face thereof by welding or other suitable means is a bracket arm 28, said arms forming a support for a table member 29 which extends substantially over the `entire length of the guard I6. The inner edge of the member 29 abuts a shoulder 3| at the outer edge of the surface 21 of the member 2E, and the upper surface of ythe member 29 is ush with the surface 21, so that the latter forms, in effect, a continuation of the upper surface of the table member, which surface thus extends continuously to the edge 24 of the guard member. The table member 29 provides a support for the skins or the gear 1 at a prede- 1 guard structure other articles to be passed through the machine, and these skins are fed to the rolls I and 4 through the narrow space between the lower edge of the guard rail 26 and the underlying surface of the guard member I6. This space, while suf- Iiciently wide to permit the passage of the skin, prevents the fingers of the operator from passing beyond the rail 26 in the direction of the nip between therolls I and 4.

Each of the lever members I5 has a rearwardly extending arm 32, which provides a support for a counterweight 33, this weight being adjustable longitudinally and counterbalancing the weight of the table member 29 and the brackets 28. The weights may be adjusted on the arms to points where they just fail to overbalance the weight of the table member 29 and associated brackets 28, so that the entire guard strulcture, including the lever members l5, may normally occupy a position as shown in Fig. 2. This position is determined by a depending arm 34 on one or both of the levers I5 which engages a stop 35 on the arm 5. From this normal position, the entire is capable of pivotal movement about the axis of the roller 4 in a clockwise di-` 35 and 36, thus, lim1t the angular movement of the guard structure.

Secured to and depending from one of the arms 34 is a finger 31, the lower end of this iinger being operatively associated with `the control lever 38 of an electric switch 39. Normally, the finger 31 is retracted rearwardly from the swi-tch lever 38, so that said lever may be moved to a position closing ther switch for normal operation of the machine, as hereinafter described.

The electrical system of the machine, of which the switch 39 forms a part, is illustrated in Fig. 6. An electric motor, which constitutes the prime mover of the machine, is indicated at 4I, this motor being of the reversible type. Electrical energy-is carried to themotor 4I from a suitable source of energy through the lines 42, 43 and 44 and selectively by way either of one set. of switches 45, 46, and 41, or a second set 55, 56, and 51. When the switches of the rst set are closed, the motor operates in the direction for normal operation of the machine; and when the second set of switches is closed, the motor is reversed, so that the rolls I and 4 are caused to turn also in reverse directions. The position of the switches is controlled by a pair of solenoids 48-49--and a rod 5I which rigidly connects the plungers of the said solenoids and to which the movable elements of the switches are connected, as illustrated. When the solenoids 48 and 49 are deenergized, a pair of springs 52 and 53' at opposite ends of the rod hold the latter in a neuthe opposite direction so as 55, 56 and 51 and to open 41 and 54.

The switch 39 is of the four-pole double-throw structure variety. Normally, it occupies a closed position as shown in Fig. 6, wherein the solenoid 48 is energized. The live circuit in this case includes a normally closed push button switch 58 and the switch 54. When the switch 39 is thrown into the opposite closed position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, it completes the circuit through the solenoid 49 to the exclusion of the solenoid 48. :Thus, if the machine is operating normally and the switch 39 is thrown over to the alternative position shown in broken lines, the result will be to deenergize the solenoid 48 and to energize the solenoid 49 and to thereby cause a closing of the switches 55, 56 and 51l and opening of the switches 45, 46 and 41, the direction of the motor 4I and of the machine as a whole being thereby reversed. This reverse movement will continue until the switch 39 is returned to its original position by manipulation of the switch lever 38.

When the machine is idle, the solenoids 48 and 49 being deenergized, the switches 45, 46, 41, 55, 56, 51 and 54 will all be open. The switch 58 will be closed, and a starting switch 59 of the button type, which controls a circuit through the solenoid 48 independently of the switch 54, will be in its normally open condition. Manual closing of the switch 59 will result in energizatmnof the solenoid 48, a resultant closing of the switches 45,'46 and 41, and a starting of the motor 4I in the normal direction of rotation. The switch 54 will also be closed, so that after release of the button of the starting switch 59, the re-opening of this switch will not affect the ilow of current to the solenoid 48. The machine may be stopped by opening the normally closed switch 58 thereby breaking the circuit of the solenoid 48 and permitting the springs 52 and 53 to return the rod 5I to the neutral or open-switch position.

With the machine in normal operation and operating in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, a reversal of the machine operation will occur` when the guard as a whole, including the table 29 and the guard rail 26, is rocked from the normal position in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, the result of this rocking movement of the guard structure being to actuate the switch arm 38 and associated control switch 39 to effect the reversal of the motor 4I and of the machine as described. Such rocking of the guard structure might occur, for example, if the fingers of an operator were drawn by the moving skin on the table 29 into the gap below the guard rail 26, the

switch to the position for normal operation of the machine.

2. In a machine of the character described, a roll, a traversable companion roll, roll-operating mechanism, guard means for the rolls angularly -movable about the axis of and with respect to the companion roll and traversable with the latter, said guard being spaced from the said companion roll so as to form therebetween a narrow passage through which the work is passed between the rolls, means tending to retain the guard in a predetermined normal position of angular adjustment, and control means for said mechanism actuatable by angular displacement of the guard from said normal position.

3. In a machine of the character described, a-

nip, means tending to retain the structure against the stop, whereby the latter establishes a normal position of said structure, roll-operating mechanism, and control means for said mechanism actuable by angular movement of the structure from said normal position.

4. In a machine of the character described, a roll, a traversable companion roll, a guard structure traversable with the companion roll and movable with respect thereto, said structure including a table element projecting transversely from the roll and a guard rail at the rear of said table in relative proximity to the nip of said rolls, said rail being spaced from the upper surface of the table to provide a narrow opening through which the work'may pass between the rolls, stop means for limiting the movements of the guard structure in the direction retracting the rail from the nip, roll-operating mechanism, and control means for said mechanism actuatable by movement of the table in a direction advancing the said rail toward the nip.

LAWRENCE A. LADNER. 

